Certainly public health and safety are vital to our community and the availability of a paramedic program and proper fire station staffing is of major importance to such an effort.

WHAT WILL THIS COST EACH PROPERTY OWNER?

The first year cost of this initiative is $102 per living unit with variations for businesses and vacant property. This fee can be adjusted annually to cover cost of living increases. The initial annual income from this new tax will be $725,495.

Unfortunately, there is NO TERMINATION DATE for this tax. As with the sales tax, this is permanent. It can be collected year after year whether needed or not.

This tax should have a termination date of July 1, 2006.

The State of California is AWASH in money with its 12.5 billion dollar surplus and some of this will benefit the State’s Fire Districts.

The State Senate has passed unanimously Senate Bill 1919 and is awaiting action in the Assembly. This legislation will provide $324,000 in additional tax money for the Scotts Valley Fire District on an annual basis.

With the continuing studies to consolidate fire districts in the county, thereby enhancing efficiency and saving money, who knows what our situation will be in a few years? Without a sunset or termination clause in this initiative, the tax will still be with us regardless of the lessening in funding requirements.

VOTE NO ON MEASURE V! We can put it on the ballot in the future when needed. We already have county paramedic service negating a vote at this time. Let’s do this right and not be stampeded!

s/ Robert B. Suhr, Public

The special tax is needed on an ongoing basis to pay for the salary and benefits of the necessary firefighter/paramedics. The Board of Directors considered a sunset clause very carefully and felt that it would be irresponsible to terminate the tax since it will be paying for this vital service. If the funding were lost, layoffs would be necessary with the possibility of fire station closures. Limited annual adjustments are necessary to keep up with the cost of living for firefighter/paramedics. Ordinance 2000-1 has been published in the voter pamphlet to clearly show how the tax works.

The State of California has a huge surplus. The District has been working to have some of that surplus directed toward basic emergency service needs. So far, fire districts have not received any revenue surplus from the State. Senate Bill 1919 is one such bill that, as of this writing, is in a suspense file and appears that it will not be signed into law this year. If the District receives additional funding from any source, including the State, the ordinance allows for reduction or suspension of the tax.

Consolidations of fire districts and other measures to improve efficiency have been considered and aggressively pursued. In fact, this measure is based on a cooperative effort with neighboring agencies to reduce the amount of tax required! The truth is that this measure is necessary to provide adequate coverage of three fire stations and to supply comprehensive paramedic service.

Scotts Valley Fire Protection District
s/ Carol Bell, Chairperson

s/ Michael P. McMurry
Fire Chief, Scotts Valley Fire Protection District